Potato-planter



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No, 545,787. PatentedSept. 3,1895.

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L. 0.5EVANS. yoTATO PLANTBR.

No. 545,787. Patented 1895.

IIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIII [d following is a specification.

.To all whom it mafyconcer'w y 'ni-*rsa dictarse Louis o. EVANS, 'on-ATENT Fries,

SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

PoTATo-PLANTER.

,s PEcInrcA'rro-N forming part of' Letters Patent Nef 545,787, datedseptember e, 1895. I v Applioationiiled June 15,189.5. SerialNo.552,889.` (No model.)

4Be it .known that I, LOUIS C. EVANS, a citizen of the United States,residing atl-Spring-v tield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio,haveV invented' certain new and useful proveniente in Potato-Planters,of whichth My invention relates to improvements in potato-planters, andit particularly relates to that classof potato-planters described and.shown in my pending application, Serial No. l 540,723, filed March 6,l895.

My invention consists' in the various coui v `strnctions andcombinations ot parts hereinafter described'and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is `'asectional elevation of aplanter embodying `my invention. 'picker-arm plate, showing the meansem- Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a ployed for securing the picker-.armsthereto and for varying the quantities of seed sown.

` Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 4 is adetail v1ew,in section,taken on the line a: w in Fig. 2. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of`the concave and cam groove for operating the picker-arms.

K Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of an adjustable marker. Figs. l and llare detail views of an improved covering device,

and Figs. 12 and 13 are detail views of the devices ,employed forcounterbalancing the machine in operation. y

Like parts are represented by similar letters and numerals of referencein the several views. 'y

In the drawings, a representsa supporting i and driving wheel, of whichthere are two, one

upon each end of a main shaft a', as in my priorapplication referred to.

b is a hopper having the vibrating and oscillating plates b b2, whichare connected to l movable conduits bextending on opposite sides of aconcave c, as in the prior application.

Mounted on the main shaft a and secured xedly thereto is a pletter-armplate d, to which are secured the pickerarms c. '.lhis

v vplate d is provided with a hub d', which is secured to the mainshaft, and with an auxiliary movable plate d2, which is adapted to beremoved over the hub d', the pickerfarms be-v ing secured between theplates d d2 inthe manner herinafter more fully In position and number ofthe picker-arms to obtain the same result, and in carrying out this partof my invention I have devised a simple and effective construction,bymeans of which the number and position of the picker-arms may bereadily and accurately changed to suit any desired condition under whichthe machine is to be operated.

.In eachof the plates d and d2 I provide a number of concentric rows ofholes, as shown t at l, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and in each of the pickerarms Iprovidea series of holes corresponding in number' to the concentric rowsof holes in the plates. I further provide on each ot' the arms aprojection lor projections e', and in one or both of the plates d d2,preferably at the outer edge, thereof, I provide a series oflcorresponding depressions d3, cach of which stands radially oppositeone of the openings `in the concentric rows 1,12, 3, 4, and 5. Each ofthe concentric rows of openings has a certain definite number of holestherein, which are so arranged that at one point, which may be termedthe y starting point, the correl spending openings in each of theconcentric rows are in a radial line, as shown at the top in Fig. 2. Forthis set,of openings there is `a which occupies this position need neverbe changed, but is the basis or starting-point for all the other changesdesired. In the construction illustrated I have shown tive concentricrows of openings having, respectively, six, seven, eight, nine, and tenopenings. The arms are adapted to be secured between the respectiveplates d and di and the said plates secured together by means of boltsor pins c2, which extend through the openings in said plates and in saidarms, respectively. In placing any desired number of arms in the wheelthe bolts or pins are inserted through the openings in that concentricrow which corresponds to the number of arms to be used. For instance, ifnine arms are to be placed in the wheel the bolts are all insertedthrough rs'A single depression d3, and the picker-arm e IOO whichcontainsnine openings, said; bolts passing through the corresponding orsecond opening in the arms. lt will be found that if an arm is placedwith the second opening therein opposite one of the openings in thesecond row the projection d will enter the proper depression d3 and itwill be impossible to place more orless than the proper number of armsbetween the plates and impossible to secure there in a'ialse position.In practice the intervening distances between the drop-j ping of the..seed by the dilerent number of arms on the wheel will be marked on theplates, so that the number of arms required forplanting at certaindistances apart will be ascertained at a glance; but the arrangement ofthe fastenin'gepoints in the concentric rows with a corresponding pointin each arm for each row, together with the interengaging devices on theplates and arms, re-

spectively, maires it possible to change the arms readily and impossibleto make a mistake, either' in the location or number of the arms, if thecorresponding point in the arms is brought opposite the openings in itsproper concentric row.

' 'il have showmas before stated, a series of l rows containing six,seven, eight, nine, and ten openings; but as each alternate opening maybe left vacant in those having an even nurn- .her it will be seen thatany combination from one to ten arms may be secured and properly spacedabout the supporting plate or Wheel.

Each ofthe arms e is provided with the irsnal" Vibrating head e3, whichoperates in connec tion with the impaling-fork e4, the irnpaling. anddischarging of the potato being positively effected by means ot the-cam-groove c in the concave c, which engages with the projections e5 onthe vibrating head e3, as setforth in my prior application. In order,however, to prevent the potato from slipping forward and thus escapingthe impaling-fork, I construct that portion of the head which isopposite the impaling-torlr with a series of scr-rations or teeth, asshown at e6, which prevents any 'slipping of the potatoas the same isforced in contact with the impaling-t'orlr.

in my present construction the cam-groove c', instead of being graduallydrawn in from the point of beginning to the point ot' closing, is formedpractically concentric for the greater portion of its length, theclosing of the head against the impalingforlr being accomplished withina small fraction of a revolution of the arm, about halfway between therespective ends ot' the concave, as shown in Figr, the concentricportions c2 and c3 being arranged at the respective ends of the concave,so that the oscillating heads remain in the same relative positionduring the travel through these portions of said concave. Thesingularly-arranged iianges c4 extend only to the point where theconcentric portion c of the canrgroovc begins, thus forming a pocket c5over the concentric portion c2, through -the central position.

which tho picker-arms c pass with the oscil lating heads in an open orextended position, thus insuring,r the catching of a potato within theoscillating head before the same is closed on the impaling-fork.

As the picker-arms are rotated the oscillnting heads are brought incontact with a fixed stopf, which causes the heads to vibrate'in anopposite direction, so that tho projecting finger eT thereon forces thepotatoes from the ilnpaling fork e4, permitting them to fall 4throughthe chamber f land shoe g in the usual way. The covering of. thepotatoes is effected by means of angularly-arran ged concave' disks g',which are supported ateach side of and to the rear of the shoe g by armsg2, adjustably connected at g3 to U-shaped supporting-springs g4,secured to the side of the shoe c, as shown in Figs. 10 and ll, theconstruction being'such that the angularlyarranged concave disks may beadjusted as desired either up or down and to or from. the furrow in theusual-mappen The shoe 'g .is

raised and lowered `in substantially the man ner described in 'my formerapplication 'hreferred to, through the, agency of a hand-lever g5, whichis pivotally connected to that portion of the frame which extendsforward on the tongue 7L.

Immediately forward ofthe lifting-lever g is an adjustable marker j,which is pivoted by suitable connecting devices to the tongue so 'as toswinglaterally across the same. Th is markerj is provided with aspring-bolt j,

havingtheusual actuating hand-clip jg, and

there is provided near the pivotal center a 4cam-shaped projection jg,having a single hotchji, with which said spring-bolt is adapted toengage. The sides ot this cam-shaped projectionj3 are drawn inwardly asthey recede from the notch u,"4--that is to say, they are formed on acurve with a radius shorter than that on which the marker swings-so thatas said marker is raised from either side the 'sides of said camshapedprojection will en gage with the spring-bolt and move the same so as tocompress the spring until the notch jt is reached, when it will engagetherein, thus holding the marker in an upright vposition ICO tof

until it is released by the operator actuating the spring-bolt inthe-usual manner. VThis construction is especially desirable in changing direction at the ends of rows. The operator lifts the shoe ont ofthe ground by the lever (5, and by his foot raises the marker to lVhcnthe machine turned in the opposite direction, he relcaste the marker andallows it to fall to its position on either side of the machine, andthen lowers the shoe to the proper position for planting.

It is essential in machines of this character that the weight bcproperly distributed, so that the Ymachine will be properly balanced inoperation. that the proper distribution of the weight in moving themachine from piace to place is not the same as required in operation;also, the diilercnce in weight of tho potatoes inthe I have discoveredin practice hopper b at dierent times, or the changein the weight oftheoperator who is located in the seat lam-altes adifference. 4To compensists of a U-shaped piece m of metal, having suitable ears or lugs fm',to4 which are connected the respective ends of a rope m2, which passesthrough a pulley m3 near `the outer end of the tongue, the weight mbeing fur-ther provided with an upwardly-projecting guide m4throughwhich the rope m2 passes. The rope is extended to any convenient pointin proximity to the operator in position'on the seat 7c, so that bypulling on either one of the strands thereof the weight m may be shiftedto any desired point on the tongue so as to exactly counterbalance themachine to suit the varying conditions under which it is being operated.

Having thus described my invention, I claimi l.` The combination withthe picker arms, of asupporting plate having a number of concentric rowsof openings therein, a seriesl of r openings in said picker armscorrespondingin numberto the concentric rows, and inter meshing deviceson the respective parts arranged radially opposite the correspondingopenings in said respective parts, substantially asspecified.

In apotato planter, a supporting plate having a number'of concentricrows of openings therein, picker arms,'each having a series of openings,one for each concentric row in said plate, projections on said pickerarms and depressions in said plate, one of said depressions beingarranged radially opposite each o f the openings in each of saidconcentric rows, and fastening devices adapted to extend `throughthexcorresponding openings `in the armsand plate, substantially asspecified.`

`3'.}In apotato planter, a series offpicker arms,l twooppositely-arranged plates, each having a number ofcoicentric rows ofopen ings, one ofthe openings in each row being -arranged in a series ina radial line, and a series of openings in each of said picker armscorresponding to said radial series, intermeshing parts between saidpicker armsand the respective plates, and a fastening device adaptedto'extend through said plates and through o ne of the openings in saidpicker arms, substantially as specified.

4,. In a potato planter, the combination with the picker arms havingmoving heads, as described, of a concave having a cam-shaped groove withwhich said picker arms engage,

said groove being arranged at each end of said concave in asubstantially concentric curve, an abrupt cam way between the concentricportions of said groove, and a pocket formed with inclined sidesarranged over one of lsaid concentric portions and extending to saidabrupt cam way, substantially as specified.

5. In a potato planter, a series of-picker arms each having anoscillating head, of an impaling fork, means for moving said head towardsaid fork, said head being `provided with a series of serrations orteeth opposite said fork, substantially as specified..

6. The combination-with the picker arm having an impaling fork, of anoscillating head having a projecting portion adjacent to saidimpaling'fork, and teeth or serrations in said projecting portion,substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a concave having a cam groove therein, and apocket having inclined sides above said cam groove, of a picker armhaving an 'oscillating head with projections to engage in'said camgroovaand an impaling fork4 arranged opposite saidfpro jections, saidhead being provided with teeth, i

'or serrations, substantially as specified. l

8. The combination with the adjustable shoe as described, and means lforsecuring said shoe in different positions of adjustment, a springsupported by s'aid shoe and moving therewith, and a backwardly-extendingarm adj ustably supported Yon said spring so as to occupy differentrelative positions with said shoe-and an angularly-arranged diskjournaled on said arm -whereby said disk is supported wholly on saidspring and moves with. said shoe, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with a planter and. its tongue, of a sliding weightarranged on said tongue, av connection from each end of said,v weightextending in'opposite directions and y j LOUIS C. EVANS. Witnesses:

OLIVER II. MILLER, CHAs. I. WELCH.

